Filling-machine.



C. E. ROGERS. FlLLlNG MACHINE.

v 4 APPLICATION HLED JULY 3. I916. 1 2 1,11 PatentedSept. 17,1918.

4 SHEETSSHEET l.

aumzwtoz C. E. ROGERS.

FILLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3.1916.

Patented Sept. 17, 1918.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

C. E. ROGERS. FILUN CHINE.

Gama. 5 15. F0 @21 5 WWW C. E. ROGERS. FILLING MACHINE. APPLICATION FILED JULY 3,1916.

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FILLING-MACHINE.

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I To all wkom'z't may concern Be it, known that-I, CHARLES E/Rocnns,

' a citizen of the United States, residing at Detroit, county of Vlfayne, State of Michigan, have invented'a certain new and useful Improvement in Filling-Machines, and declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the same,' such as will enable others skilled inthe art to which it pertains'to make-and use the same, reference being-had to the accompanying drawings, which form a part ofthis speci cation.

This invention relates to machines for fillin bottles, cans, or other receptacles, and

its 0 ject is a device whereby a definite amount of milk or other fluid may be placed in bottles or other receptacles. Another obvject of the invention is a device for filling bottles or thelike with milk in such manner that the foaming-thereof caused by delivery into the receptacle is reduced to a minimum. An additional obj'eotof the invention is a device of the character stated in which a plurality of receptacles may be simultaneously filled with an equal amount of fluid.

In many machines of this class, the filling of the receptacle depends upon the opening of a valve to allow a flow of fluid into the receptacle and evidently any inaccuracy in the opening of any of the valves results in some of the cans not being properly filled.

'A novel feature of this invention is involved in the means involved in automatically measuring the fluid prior to its delivery into the receptacle whereby all cans or bottles receive exactly the same quantity.

These and other objects and the several novel features of the invention are herein- I after morefully described and claimed and shown in the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a vertical longitudinal section of my improved filling machine.

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section thereof.

Fig. 3 is a cross section taken on line at of Flg. 1.

Fig. 4 is a section taken on line y-y of Fig. 5 is a detail of the measuring cup. 7 Similar characters refer to sim1lar parts throughout the drawing and specification.

'The device consists of tank 1 supported on a frame 2 to which is attached the legs 3'. A sub-frame 4 is also secured to the legs midway between the frame 2 and the lower end of the legs. The tank 1 is adapted to be filled to a predetermined level and for filling the tank a supply pipe 5 is utilized provided with a float controlled valve as may be understood from Fig.1 -to prevent an overflow of fluid Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Sept. 1'2, 1918. Application filed July 3, 1916. Serial No. 107,323. I I I in the tank. In each corner of the two.

frames 2- and 3 is provided bearings for the rods 6, 6 etc., which are adapted for vertical movement in vertical bearings provided at each of' the four corners'of the frames. On the upper ends of the rods is carried a frame a 7 held on the rods by the adjusting nuts 8.

This frame 7 supportsa series of cups 9 and In the device here illustrated, there are 24 of these cups movable with the frame work.

A series of tubes 10, one for each cup, is secured in the bottom of the tank having their upper ends above the normal level of the fluid in the tank and the lower ends thereof 7 extending a short distance below the bottom of the tank. The cups areadapted to slide on the tubes and are held in alinement therewith by means of a yoke 11 in each instance attached to the open ends of the cups and a bearing 12 at the lower end which is provided with one or more annular grooves 13, as shown'in the detail in Fig. 6,'adapted to prevent leakage about the tube.

As is shown more clearly in Fig. 2 each rod 6 is threaded near the lower end to receive the nuts 14: and 15 and between those nuts is secured the apertured end of the arms of a V shaped bracket 16.

' There are two brackets 16 on opposite sides of the machine as will be understood from Fig. 3, eachof the arms of each bracket being secured to the ends of the two rods on the corresponding side of the machine. At the lower end these arms are united in a block having a portion 17 riding in the ways 18 provided on each side of the machine for 7 each block respectively. A sha'ft20 extends transversely of the machine and is carried by these blocks and b means of the guideways -18 the shaft an brackets are held to move in a. vertical plane. A horizontal shaft 21 is carried in bearings in the frame member 4 on one side of the machine and arms 22 are provided secured to the shaft 21 and having slotted ends 23 through which they shaft 20 passes. As maybe seen clearly in Fig. 1 an operating lever 24 is provided on one end of the shaft by operation of which the arm 22 of the lever 24 moves the shaft of fluid discharged depends upon the height to which the cups are raised. This height may be regulated in various ways as by -means of threaded nuts 25 on each rod and engaging against the lower face of the upper rectangular frame as may be understood from Fig. 2. By varying the position of the nuts on the rods the cups may be raised to a greater or less height as may be desired and thus the quantity of fluid discharged acchine, the receptacles neath the lower ends of the tubes and it is to curately measured.

A stationary. frame'26 may be supported on the frame work 4 as shown clearly in Fi l which is provided with the angle iron si e members 27and carries a series of rollers 28. A tray 29 may be run into the machine on these rollers and the tray practically fits between the vertical side members 27 so that the tray is positioned in the frame and it will be readily understood that a stop should be provided so that the tray when moved into the machine against the stop is accurately positioned for the purpose hereinafter stated. The tray is of exactly the right size to carry a the number of tubes 10 and centered according to the centering of the tubes 10. Thus, on moving the tray into position in the maare placed directly be.

be understood that these receptacles may either be the common well known cans for condensed milk or maybe bottles, either of paper or glass, or other material for holding natural milk. The receptacles being thus positioned directly beneath the lower ends of the tubes, the material flowing from the tubes will flow into the cans or bottles as the case may be.

Some fluids upon being dischargedinto bottles or cans have a tendency to foam on flowing from the tubes and I have discovered that, if the discharge 'end of the tube be near the bottom of the receptacle, thefoamingis p the frame 30 and connected parts reduced to a minimum. For this purpose I have provided having four legs 31 one in each corner adja-.

cent the reciprocating rods 6 as will be readily understood from the drawing. The frame 30 is provided with two lugs on opposite sides riding in the ways 18 heretofore described. To this frame member or plate 30 are secured a series oftubes 32 telescoping on the lower ends of the tubes 10. When the frame 7 carrying the measuring cups is in its lowermost position, the filling of the cups as shown in Fig. 1 the frame v30 is in its uppermost position number of receptacles equal tov a reciprocatable frame 30 asin' with the lower ends of the tubes attached I A thereto above the open ends of-the recepta- On raising the rodsfi and. measur-j the discharged intothe receptacles below the level of the fluid therein whereby the'foamis reduced to a minimum. v v

In order that the frames, 7 and 30 may simultaneously move in opposite directions as described, each of the rods 6 areprovided with rack teeth 33 and each of the rods 31 are provided with similar rack teeth 34.

Supported by brackets on the frame work on opposite sides thereof are 3 5 and 36 and sition to engage the rack teeth 33 and 34 reprovided shafts attached to these shafts in pospectively are gear wheels 37, and 38. There are four pairs of similar gear wheels for each of the four rods 6 and 31. It is to be notedthat the gear 37' is considerably larger than the .gear 38, the purpose being to allow the frame 7 and the measuring cups to move av greater distance than is-required of the frame 30'. ment, however, depends practically entirelyl you the height of the receptacle into whic the fluid" is discharged. With cans of little height ashere shown,th e movement of the frame 30 and tubes thereon maybepractiandtubes thereon. This movecally about half the movement of the frames 7 and measuring cups: Edy-bottles are to be used into which the fluidis tobe discharged the parts may be designed' forpractically equal movement; In such event only a single gear-wheel isv necessary between the rods 6 and 31. In either case movement of the rods 6 in' either direction causes a movement of the rods 31 and the connected parts "in a reverse direction. From the above-it will be readily understood by those skilled in the'art, that any degree of variation as to movement of the frames 7 and 30 may be provided for as may be desired. A

By this arrangement of gears and racks provides not a counter balance for the frame 7 and con.-

nected parts but as the frame 7 and connected parts are considerably greater in weight than the frame 30,a' counter-weight 40 may be provided on arod 41- pivoted to the frame at 42 and having a forked end 43 engaged aboutthe shaft 20. as shown in Fig. 2. By thus counter-balancing the'frame' 7 and rods 6 the same may be recipr'ocated with very little effort by means of the operating lever 24.

Undoubtedly several methods of bringing the discharge ends of thetubes in close proximity to the bottoms of the receptacles during the discharge interval will occur to those skilled in the art. I have here shown only a single method of producing such result, but in this respect I do not desire to limit myself to the construction shown.

In operation and with the parts in position shown in Fig. l, the cups are filled by reason of the open ends thereof being below the normal level of the fluid. The tank is made considerablv larger in area than that occupied by the measuring cups as otherwise the tank would-overflow at the time of immersion of the cups after being emptied. Upon depressing the lever 24 the filled cups will be raised to position shown in Fig. 2 and the contents thereof discharged to the point determined by'the adjusting nut 25. As the measuring cups are raised the tubes 32, are moved downward into the receptacles as heretofore stated and also as the measuring cups are raised the float will open the valve in the supply pipe 5 and the tank begin to Y fill. This operation may be repeated as rapidly as the filled receptacles and trays may be removed from the machine and unfilled receptacles replaced therein.

From the foregoing description it becomes evident that the device is comparatively sim- -ple in operation requiring but little or no ingenuity on the part of the operator, after the machine has once been set, to fill each of the receptacles with exactly equal quantity of fluid at each operation.

Having thus briefly described my invention its utility and mode of operation what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In apparatus of the character described, a tank for receiving fluid, means for maintaining the level of the fluid therein, a tube mounted therein having an inlet end above the normal level of the fluid and a movable discharge end projecting. through the tank, means for positioning a receptacle to be filled below said discharge end, a measuring cup reciprocably mounted on the tube adapted to be alternately filled by immersion in the fluid in the tank and to discharge the same through the inlet end of the tube and means whereby the discharge end of the tube is moved into close proximity to the bottom of the receptacle during the discharge of the fluid thereinto.

2. In apparatus of the character described,

. a tank for receiving fluid, means for maintaining the level of the fluid therein, a plurality of tubes mounted vertically in the tank having the inlet ends at the same height about the normal level of the fluid in the tank and provided with-similar movable discharge ends projecting through the tank, a measuring cup reciprocably mounted on each tube and adapted to be alternately filled by immersion in the fluid and to disabove the normal level of the fluid in the tank and a discharge end projecting therethrough, a measuring cup reciprocably mounted on the tube and adapted to be alternately filled by immersion in the fluid and to discharge the same through said inlet end, a tube reciprocable on the discharge end of the discharge tube, means for positioning a receptacle below said reciprocable tube and means whereby on movement ofthe measuring cup to discharge the fluid the recip'rocable tube is inserted into the receptacle.

4. 1n apparatus of the character described, a tank for receiving fluid, means for main taining the level of the fluid therein, a plurality of tubes mounted vertically in the tank having their inlet ends at the same height above the normal level of the fluid and provided with similar discharge ends projecting through the tank, a measuring cup reciprocably mounted on each tube adapted to be alternately filled by immer sion in the tank and to discharge the same as the cups are raised on the tube, means for positionlng a series of receptacles below the discharge ends of the tubes, a series of.

telescoping tubes, one on each discharge tube, and means whereby the said telescoping tubes may be moved downward into the respective receptacle as the measuring cups are raised to discharge the fluid into the tubes.

5. In apparatus of the character described, a tank for receiving fluid, means for maintaining the fluid at a predetermined level therein, a plurality of tubes mounted vertically in the tank having inlets at the same height above the normal level of the fluid therein and having similar discharge ends extending through the bottom of the tank, a measuring cup reciprocably mounted on each tube adapted to be filled by immersion in the fluid and to discharge its contents as themeasuring cup is raised on the tube, a frame to which the cups are secured, means on the .frame for "adjusting. the position of each cup vertically on the tube, the

its

Jlltl one for each discharge tube, a frame to which the telescoping tubes are secured, the said frame for the telescoping tubes having standards corresponding in number to those of the measuring cup frame and also being provided with gear teeth, a gear meshing with each rack of the last named frame, the said gear being 'fixed to the shaft. of the gear for the measuring cup frames and rotatable therewith, the gear for the measuring cup being greater in diameter than the gear for the tube 'frame and the gears for the tube frame operating to move the tube frame downward at the time'the cup frame is raised and vice versa.

6. In apparatus of the character described,

a tank for receiving fluid, means for main- 'taining the level of the through the bottom of the tank, is

a measuring cup reciprocably mounted on each tube adapted to be filled by immersion in the fluid and to discharge the same as the measuring cup is raised on the tube, a frame to which the cups are secured, means on the frame for adjusting the position of each cup vertically on the tube whereby all of the cups may be positioned with the open ends in the same plane, means for reciprocating said frame whereby the cups are simultaneously operated, means for positioning a series of receptacles below? the discharge ends of the tubes, a series of telescoping tubes, one for each discharge tube and reciprocable on discharge ends thereof, a frame to which each of the telescoping tubes are secured, and means whereby, when the measuring cup frame is raised, the frame for the telescoping tube is lowered and the tubes inserted into the respective receptacles.

' In testimony whereof, I sign this specification.

' CHARLES E. ROGERS. 

